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During our first three months with the 2012 Mazda 5, we averaged 24.3 mpg.

Anything with sliding doors tends to slip down the list of most-desired vehicles in our test fleet. But that may be changing, thanks to the sporty intentions and minivan functionality of our diminutive long-term Mazda 5.

The nearly 5,000 miles we clocked in our first three months in the Mazda 5 helped identify a number of likes and dislikes. We appreciate the vehicle's economical and reasonably peppy powertrain, its responsive Ford Focus/Mazda 3-based chassis and its overall utility.

"The four-banger loves to rev, and despite the low number of cylinders, the car was fine on the freeway, easily keeping up with the crowd in the left lane," one editor noted. The chassis reminds us of something sportier than a van, with good body control and steering making it feel fairly spry for a 3,400-pounder--but it's no Miata. "I feel a bit of the soul of a Mazdaspeed in there, but it's buried pretty deep," an editor said.

Some appreciate that the Mazda 5's wind-blown styling helps distinguish the otherwise boxy shape from other minivans, while others find the multiple contours a distraction.

We've noted some interior space limitations--taller editors found front-seat travel too short, and the third row hardly offers reasonable room for real adults. The second-row buckets seem just right. Most of the time, we leave the third row folded flat to provide ample cargo capacity.

The biggest knocks so far center on the interior materials, especially the swaths of hard black plastic. The center stack is functional, but we don't like the overall design.

"The layout of the controls is user-friendly," an editor said, "but the readout at the top crams a bunch of data into its thin, red window. It can be tough to get what you need at a glance."

Finally, we'd like a little more insulation from road and wind noise.

Our first quarter taught us that there's a lot to like in the Mazda 5. More miles will tell whether that's enough to rekindle our minivan fancy.